18th May 2019 - Andrew

We wake early (5.40am); take a taxi to the Athens Port. We see a bit more of the urban areas - some very high density housing and shops. Lots of abandoned or half-completed buildings. We get on our ferry and get some coffee from a bar and from the open back deck we watch Athens retreat. The ferry is pleasant once we sort out our luggage, get coffee, and get a bit more sleep in the airline style seats. There are all kinds of people aboard, tourists from everywhere, locals on holiday, serious business travellers etc.

We spend a lot of time on the outside decks watching the harsh dry islands go by (you are almost never out of site of land).

We dock and let off/on some passengers at two ports before Santorini - these tiny concrete ports are old-school and very industrial; trucks pull large trailers on and off the ferry in a flurry of activity. At one port we watch a barge being loaded with sand - like a child’s toy set.

We get off at Santarini with our luggage onto a pier filled with people trying to sell transport or hire cars - very busy,crazy and overwhelming. So we allow ourselves to be transported to the town of Fira. Our driver is funny and dry and tells us some interesting things as we slowly climb up the winding road to the top of the Caldera.

18th May 2019 - Cara

People on board the ferry: Obnoxious groups of Chinese tourists. The woman have very high pitched voices, giggle loudly together while taking endless selfies.

Spend a lot of time sitting on the deck watching the sea go by. Wonderful ocean blue, and spectacular rocky islands.

He tells us the tiny island beyond the caldera is almost entirely made from ash from the last eruption - you can see the white layer that forms the top half of the island well.

17th May 2019